Simulacra
by Anthony J
Summary: SCRIPT FORMAT: When Hobbes kills Santiago, he believes he's won Harsh Realm and returned to the Real World. But while Florence tracks down a ruthless bounty-hunter and a healer with the ability to speak, Pinocchio must rescue a friend from a tyrant.
1. Teaser

HARSH REALM  
"Simulacra (V2x12)"  
by Anthony J  
(tonyfuchs@hotmail.com)  
  
TEASER  
EXT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE (NIGHT)  
A Republican Guard, LT. BERKELEY, paces before the doors to the building, keeping watch. After a few moments, he heads slowly away, leaving frame.  
  
From behind one of the three Humvee's parked along the curb, the face of a woman with short-cropped hair appears; FLORENCE. With intensity scrawled across her face and an M16 in her grip, she watches the guard leave, then gestures the "move in" signal with her right arm.  
  
Seemingly from nowhere, HOBBES appears, armed with a Sig Sauer P220 capped with a make-shift silencer constructed from a steel pipe padded with fiberglass. He silently ascends the cement staircase to a support pillar which affords him some cover. A second later, PINOCCHIO emerges from behind Florence, quickly making his way to the front doors of the building with a small duffel bag in tote.  
  
Pinocchio drops to one knee in front of the doors, opening the bag and extracting a small calculator-sized keypad attached via a fiber-optic cable to a small keycard. Hobbes checks his watch, then looks around the building for the guard.  
  
HOBBES  
(hushed)  
15 seconds...  
  
PINOCCHIO  
(without stopping)  
I know...  
  
Pinocchio slides the keycard into the swipe-sensor on the door, lodging it between the lock walls. He flips the switch under his thumb to activate the keypad, glancing at the display as 23 of the 25 LCD's light up and begin flashing through code sequences.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
Jesus...  
  
He immediately begins punching in sets of numbers, test sequences meant to hurry the decoding process.  
  
HOBBES  
10...  
  
PINOCCHIO  
Thank you Swatch, keep it to yourself.  
  
Pinocchio glances at the keypad, seeing that only four of the 23 digits have locked in.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
Come on baby, little quicker...  
  
HOBBES  
5 seconds...  
  
Another number locks in.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
It's a little slow...  
  
LT. BERKELEY (oc)  
Hey!  
(into radio)  
Perimeter breach! Repeat, perimeter breach!  
Unauthorized access...  
  
Suddenly, a muffled SHOT rings out, cutting the guard off mid-sentence. Hobbes has fired a single round, covering his partner from his vantage point. The guard is stunned by the impact, dropping the radio as he DIGITIZES.  
  
Hobbes quickly crosses the front of the building to the radio as Pinocchio continues to work on the doors.  
  
RADIO GUARD (vo)  
(over radio)  
Berkeley? Berkeley, come in. What is the sit-  
uation? Berkeley, what is your status?  
  
HOBBES  
(into radio)  
Berkeley here. Shots fired, situation under con-  
trol. Just some suicidal trash from outside the  
fence on a kamakazi mission.  
  
Pinocchio can't help but let just a tiny grin crack through as Hobbes waits anxiously to find if he was sufficiently able to imitate the late Lt. Berkeley. After a moment, the radio guard comes back.  
  
RADIO GUARD  
Copy. Good work.  
  
Hobbes breathes a silent sigh of relief, switching the radio off and clipping it to his vest. He watches the street attentively as Pinocchio continues his work at the door.  
  
With 16 digits already locked into the keypad, Pinocchio punches in another set of test codes.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
(to himself, impatient)  
Come on...  
  
The seven remaining digits on the display flash by as the computer tests the thousands of numerical combinations within seconds. Two more digits confirm and lock in.  
  
HOBBES  
Hurry up...  
  
PINOCCHIO  
Almost there...  
  
After a few more moments, the remaining digits flash by until they stop to display the proper sequence. The keypad flashes green and beeps softly, confirming the keycard code. Pinocchio grabs the card, sliding it the rest of the way through the swipe-sensor, turning the red LED on the door lock green.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
We're in.  
  
Florence dashes from her cover position to fall in behind Pinocchio as he passes through the door first, followed by his mute companion and finally by Hobbes, still covering the exterior as Florence scans the lobby.  
  
INT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE LOBBY  
The large room is dark and abandoned.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
No guards.  
  
HOBBES  
Now I'm nervous.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
You weren't before?  
  
The trio quickly passes through the lobby, heading down a hallway under a sign that reads "STAIRWELL."  
  
INT. THE STAIRWELL  
Hobbes flies up the staircase, followed by Pinocchio with the keycard unit still out and finally by Florence, covering the rear.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
Third floor, straight to the dead-end, left at the end  
of the hall. Two guards at the outer doors.  
  
The team continues quickly up the steps until they reach a door marked by a foot-tall numeral three. Pinocchio slides the keycard through the swipe-sensor, activating the lock.  
  
INT. THIRD-FLOOR HALLWAY  
In quick continuous tracking shots, we follow Hobbes as he enters the hallway and covers the front, leading Pinocchio and Florence toward the council room. He reaches the end of the hall where it dead ends into a T-junction. He stops just short, gesturing Florence to the wall opposite him, facing the guards.  
  
Florence moves into position, followed by Pinocchio who is now brandishing his MP5K automatic weapon. Hobbes quickly spins into the hallway in plain view of the guards. He fires a single round before hiting the floor, creating enough confusion to allow Florence to emerge, gun blazing. The few rounds that the guards to manage to get off don't do much more than chip the walls before they are DIGITIZED.  
  
INT. THE COUNCIL ROOM  
Santiago, along with his six advisors including Lt. Waters and Inga Fossa, is quickly out of his seat at the sound of gunfire.  
  
ADVISOR  
Protect the General!  
  
Waters hurries to Santiago's side, prompting him toward the emergency exit.  
  
In SLOW MOTION, the front doors suddenly burst open and Pinocchio enters, unleashing a hellfury of bullets. Three of Santiago's advisors are DIGITIZED before Pinocchio even has to duck back for cover.  
  
HOBBES  
(to Florence)  
Lay down cover fire! I'm going after Santiago  
now!  
  
Florence nods quickly, then turns into the room, taking one step in and unloading her weapon.  
  
The shootout that follows is almost completely in slow-motion. Very John Woo.  
  
Another advisor DIGITIZES. Fossa fires her weapon from behind a set of filing cabinets.  
  
Hobbes makes a suicidal dash into the room, flying by Pinocchio in pursuit of Santiago.  
  
Waters is covering Santiago as he hurries him to safety when he feels a sudden jolt in the back. Santiago turns to see Waters looking down at his own chest where blood is seeping from a hole in his uniform. Waters looks up at Santiago with fear in his eyes as he flickers once and DIGITIZES, disappearing from the game.  
  
Fossa pulls the trigger again and again, spraying the entrance of the room with bullets.  
  
Florence cotinues her barrage of coverfire until she sudden jars backward, falling to the floor in agony. She looks to Pinocchio, grabbing the right side of her neck as blood seeps from the wound. Pinocchio looks on in horror as his mute compatriot reaches toward him for the second before her body DIGITIZES.  
  
PINOCCHIO  
NO!!!  
  
Pinocchio levels off his weapon and opens fire, beluging the corner where Fossa is hiding with bullets.  
  
Hobbes rounds the council table, taking a shot at Santiago's leg. In BULLETTIME SLOW MOTION, the bullet cuts through Santiago's left knee, dropping him to the floor, immobilized.  
  
Fossa tries to turns to return fire at Pinocchio, but is struck in the chest with a stream of ammunition before she can even squeeze the trigger once. She is pummelled back against the wall before DIGITIZING, leaving Pinocchio emptying a clip into the now empty corner. He does not ease up, continuing to firie into the wall, screaming in rage at the top of his lungs as the bullets rip throw the paneling.  
  
Hobbes finally reaches Santiago who is sprawled out on the floor, holding his bleeding knee, but refusing to show any pain. Hobbes stands over his victim, pure hatred flashing in his eyes. A moment later, Pinocchio stands next to him, looking down at the man they were sent to kill.  
  
HOBBES  
Would you like the win, or shall I?  
  
PINOCCHIO  
He's all yours.  
  
Santiago looks up at his attackers, confusion spelled clearly in his eyes.  
  
GENERAL SANTIAGO  
Who are you people?  
  
In Santiago's POV, Hobbes and Pinocchio look at each other questioningly. After a moment of silent consultation, they turn back to Santiago. Hobbes levels off his gun at Santiago's head and after the briefest moment of hesistation, pulls the trigger.  
  
FLASH TO WHITE.  
  
INTRO CREDITS  
  
COMMERCIAL I 


	2. Act I

ACT THREE

ACT ONE  
INT. HARSH REALM PLAYERS BAY  
TIGHT SHOT on the face of Thomas F. Hobbes. His eyes are still closed as he lays on a steel table, a fiber-optic wire protruding from his left temple.

In a wider shot, we see the room where the soldiers sent into Harsh Realm lie on gurneys, wires connecting them to the digital reality of the game. While white-clad nurses tend to some of the others players, a group of four uniformed officers and one black-suited woman surround the table on which Hobbes is lain. The same five people Hobbes ate with the night he was sent into Harsh Realm.

After a moment, Hobbes' eyes slowly slide open.

In Hobbes POV, everything is hazy, out of focus. This pair of eyes has been out of commission for a while. A face appears above; long dark hair, pretty features. Slowly the image sharpens. The face looks up, to someone else, says something that resembles "He's coming to." Finally, the edges of the figure start to become clearer and the image takes shape. The shape of INGA FOSSA.

INGA FOSSA  
Welcome to the Real World.

Back to normal perspective, Hobbes lifts his head, straining. A nurse quickly moves in to help him, bringing him up to a sitting position. With a little more effort, Hobbes slides to his right, dropping his legs off the table to the floor. The nurse quickly drapes a white terrycloth bathrobe around him, helping him walk. The party of military personnel remains in formation around Hobbes, escorting him out of the bay.

INT. DINING HALL  
Hobbes has been bathed and dressed and is now seated at the head of an oblong table with a large platter of food in front of him. To Hobbes' left is the white-haired general that Hobbes first met when he arrived. On Hobbes' right is the glasses-wearing general, who has been feeding disinformation to Sophie. To the left of the glasses-wearing general is the Latin general. To the right of the white-haired general is the bald general who told Hobbes to remove Santiago's virtual character from Harsh Realm. And seated directly opposite from Hobbes is Inga Fossa.

Hobbes is quickly inhaling the food in front of him, trying to maintain some degree of manners while still satiating his ungodly hunger. The five members of the Harsh Realm committee look at him with respect, completely ignoring his ungentlemanly eating habits. After a moment, he becomes self-conscious.

HOBBES  
(mouth half-full)  
Sorry...

They laugh.

GENERAL FITTS  
Don't be. You've earned it a hundred-fold.  
(Hobbes takes another bite)  
You did a hell of a job in there Hobbes. President  
Marlowe has announced that you are to be award-  
ed the Congressional Medal of Honor.

HOBBES  
Thank you, sir.

GENERAL FITTS  
(hand extended to shake)  
General Gregory Fitts.

Hobbes returns the shake as Fitts gestures to the man to his left.

GENERAL FITTS  
This is General William Darius...  
(to Fossa)  
...you know Ms. Fossa...  
(to latin general)  
...General Kyle Juantero...  
(to glasses-wearing general)  
...and General Colin Gilovitch.

HOBBES  
Good to finally meet you all.

GENERAL GILOVITCH  
Believe me when I say this; the honor is ours.

The group nods in agreement.

GENERAL GILOVITCH  
Be proud, Lieutenant. We are.

HOBBES  
Yes, sir.

GENERAL JUANTERO  
Santiago was located based on information you drew  
out of him. Our team stormed his stronghold in nor-  
thern Ireland early this morning.

HOBBES  
He was...killed?

GENERAL JUANTERO  
(beat)  
Yes.

HOBBES  
(beat)  
I guess he lost the game.

Everyone falls silent in respect.

GENERAL DARIUS  
Congratulations, Lt. Hobbes. This achievement will  
not soon be forgotten.

HOBBES  
Thank you, sir.

INGA FOSSA  
(gives Hobbes a knowing look)  
I'm guessing there's someone you'd like to see.

Hobbes looks to Fossa, gratitude in his eyes.

EXT. FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY (DAY)  
A red GMC pick-up truck rolls quietly down a peaceful suburban avenue. Hobbes glances out the drivers side window as he passes a playground filled with children. Some ride a blue merry-go-round while others ride the red swingset and still others teeter back and forth on a pair of seesaws. As he continues driving, Hobbes' face melts into a puddle of smiles and laughter.

Passing the playground, he glances out the passenger's side window and sees a small red-brick church. Suddenly, his laughter stops, but his smile grows twice as wide. As if to remind himself, he hums quite loudly the first four notes of the traditional wedding melody. Another deep-seated laugh finds its way out of his throat, and he welcomes it.

INT. THE HOBBES RESIDENCE  
Through the front bay window, we see the pick-up truck pull the to the curb and stop, Hobbes pouring out of the driver's seat. Nearly sprinting despite the weight of his duffel bag, Hobbes bursts through the front door and drops his luggage.

HOBBES  
Sophie!! I'm home!!

SOPHIE (oc)  
In the bedroom. DON'T come in.

HOBBES  
(surprised)  
What? Why not?

SOPHIE (oc)  
(almost whiny)  
'Cause I said so, Tom, now don't.

HOBBES  
(confused)  
Okay...

Hobbes steps into the living room, examining it as if he expects it to dissolve into the hollowed out remains he encountered in Harsh Realm. He looks around the room for a few moments, almost unable to believe that he's back, when he hears a faint clicking sound like someone drumming their fingernails on the tile floor.

In POV, low to the ground, we move quickly from the kitchen into the hallway and into the living room where we see a mammoth Hobbes looming above us.

HOBBES  
Dexter!

Back to normal perspective, Dexter dashes into the room and lunges at Hobbes, who catches him in midair. Dexter begins frantically licking the face of his owner.

HOBBES  
Hey boy! I missed you too you pudgy little mutt!  
(to Sophie)  
Hey baby-doll, you wouldn't believe what hap-  
pened to St. Jerome's inside the game. The place  
was a bar! Not a place fit to hold a wedding.

SOPHIE (oc)  
Then I won't need the dress...

Sophie appears in the bedroom doorway, holding her white wedding gown against her body.

SOPHIE  
Well...whataya think?

At the sight of his fiancé, Hobbes puts Dexter back on the floor and stares in awe at the woman he's about to marry.

HOBBES  
Sophie...my God...

SOPHIE  
Tom?

HOBBES  
It's just...been so long, and you are SO beautiful,  
and I just...  
(realizes dress)  
...why do you have that out?

SOPHIE  
It's my wedding dress, stupid...

HOBBES  
(matter-of-factly)  
I've already seen it...

Sophie's face is taken with a look shock. In her mind, the only way Hobbes could have seen the dress is if he went through her packages to find it.

SOPHIE  
Thomas F. Hobbes, I swear, sometimes...

Sophie heads back into the bedroom to repack the dress. Hobbes calls after her, growing more and more confused as the conversation proceeds.

HOBBES  
Don't you remember, hun? The day before I went  
in, you paraded it out in front of me and I refused to  
look because I said I didn't want to break tradition?

SOPHIE (oc)  
Well, tradition and all...  
(pops her head around door frame)  
...maybe you shouldn't see this either.

Sophie steps into the open doorway, no longer holding the dress. Hobbes' jaw drops as he sees his fiancé completely naked for the first time in months.

HOBBES  
(barely able to speak)  
Well...I guess, I could...overlook...that tradition...

SOPHIE  
(seductively)  
Ah...you wanna overlook it right now?

HOBBES  
Oh...God yes...

Hobbes takes Sophie passionately in his arms, holding onto her as if he believes he'll lose her again if he lets go. They kiss deeply.

DISSOLVE TO:  
EXT. THE HOBBES RESIDENCE, BACK DECK (DUSK)  
Laid out on a beach chair, Sophie holds Hobbes, running her fingers through his hair as he lays his head on her stomach. Hobbes looks into the backyard, past the house and trees to the sunset.

HOBBES  
What do you think of Michael?

SOPHIE  
I think it's a wonderful name.

HOBBES  
(looks up)  
You do?

SOPHIE  
Sure. For a BOY.  
(indignant)  
What if it's a girl?

HOBBES  
(smiles, lays back down)  
How about Florence?

SOPHIE  
(thinks a moment)  
I like it.  
(taps the top of Hobbes head)  
You know my sister's gonna throw a fit if we don't  
name our baby girl after her.

HOBBES  
(absently)  
Becky's always been tempestuous...

Hobbes is cut off mid-sentence by a knock at the front door. He sits up, looking toward the front door.

SOPHIE  
Expecting someone?

Hobbes absently shakes his head no, standing and cutting through the house to the front door.

INT. THE HOBBES RESIDENCE, FRONT DOOR  
He reaches the door, hesitating a moment before opening it as Sophie follows behind him. He turns to look at her, and she can see the fear clearly etched into his face. After a moment, he turns back to the door, placing his hand on the handle.

Hobbes flips the handle, pulling the door open to see the face of a man he never thought he'd see again. Mike Pinocchio. Hobbes almost laughs out loud at himself, stepping out of the house and giving Pinocchio a welcoming hug.

HOBBES  
Mike!

Pinocchio returns the hug, but is slightly less enthusiastic about their reunion. Even though Hobbes can't see it, we can tell that something is weighing on his mind.

PINOCCHIO  
Hey, Hobbes...

SOPHIE (oc)  
Tom...

Hobbes releases Pinocchio, remembering that he and Sophie have never met. Sophie hesitantly steps out of the house to meet their guest.

HOBBES  
Oh, sorry, right...Mike, this is my fiancé, Sophie.  
You kinda know her. Sophie, this is Mike Pin-  
occhio. This is the guy who got me through the  
game. He saved my life more times than I can  
count. He's a great soldier and a hell of a guy.

SOPHIE  
(impressed, reaches to shake hands)  
Well, it's an honor to meet you Mr. Pinocchio

PINOCCHIO  
(returns the shake)  
Mike.

SOPHIE  
Mike.

PINOCCHIO  
Likewise. Tom's told me a lot about you.

SOPHIE  
It's probably all true. Especially the kinky stuff.

PINOCCHIO  
(laughs, to Tom)  
She's a keeper.

Hobbes laughs as the three of them head back into the house.

EXT. THE HOBBES RESIDENCE, BACK DECK (NIGHT)  
Hobbes, Sophie and Pinocchio are sitting in green plastic chairs watching the stars.

HOBBES  
It's been so long since I got a chance to look at  
them. I almost forgot they were up there.  
(looks to Pinocchio)  
So how's it feel?

PINOCCHIO  
What?

HOBBES  
Freedom.

PINOCCHIO  
(sudden austerity)  
Great, look...we need to talk...about the game.

Sophie, suddenly realizing she's out of place in this conversation, stands and heads inside.

SOPHIE  
You boys seem to have some reminiscing to do,  
so why don't I get us some drinks. Iced tea okay?

HOBBES  
Yeah, that'd be great.

PINOCCHIO  
Thanks.

Sophie leaves the two former soldiers alone on the deck.

HOBBES  
The simplest pleasures we all too soon forget...

PINOCCHIO  
Hobbes, there's something you gotta know...

Hobbes isn't really paying attention while he looks through the sliding glass door at Sophie. She glances back out the door, noticing him watching and smiling to him.

HOBBES  
What's that?

PINOCCHIO  
Listen, I know you think we won the game and  
we're free of Harsh Realm and Santiago and you  
got your girl back and your Medal of Honor, but...

HOBBES  
(turns to Pinocchio)  
How'd you know about that?

PINOCCHIO  
That's my point. How would I know about that?

HOBBES  
What are you getting at?

PINOCCHIO  
This isn't real, Hobbes.

Hobbes goes dead silent, all emotion drained from his face. His eyes go stone hard and ice cold.

HOBBES  
What are you talking about?

PINOCCHIO  
You think we're out, but we're not. We're still in  
the game.

HOBBES  
No...they told me I won. They told me that San-  
tiago had been killed...

PINOCCHIO  
Lies, Hobbes. Part of the game. The next level,  
maybe; I don't know, but we're not out yet.

Hobbes looks at Pinocchio with a new expression of distrust. He slowly rises from his seat, backing away from his former comrade.

HOBBES  
You're not Mike Pinocchio.

PINOCCHIO  
Hobbes, calm down...

HOBBES  
YOU'RE NOT HIM!!

Hobbes backs into the sliding glass door, collapsing against it and slumping to the floor. Tears pour from his eyes, but he's not crying; these are stress tears, brought on by the overwhelming trauma this man has had to endure. The look of confusion on his face makes it plain that not even he understands why these tears are streaming down his face.

Dropping the two glasses of iced tea on the living room carpet, Sophie rushes to Hobbes, crouching beside him and consoling him.

SOPHIE  
Shhh...Tom, it's okay...you're home baby, shhh...  
(looks to Pinocchio with scorn)  
What did you say to him??

PINOCCHIO  
I don't...I don't know...I'm sorry...

SOPHIE  
Please, go...  
(Pinocchio doesn't move)  
Leave us be! Just go!

Not knowing how to help, Pinocchio silently walks off, leaving Sophie to tend to the emotionally crumbled Hobbes.

COMMERCIAL II


	3. Act II

ACT TWO

ACT TWO  
INT. SANTIAGO'S PLAYERS BAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE - HARSH REALM  
A man in Army fatigues sits in a metal chair with a fiber-optic wire protruding from his left temple and a thick visor over his eyes. The only movement he makes is an occasional twitch of his mouth every now and then. He is secured to the chair with straps around each wrist, each ankle and his waist. The name above his left pocket reads "MARTINEZ."

Panning right, we see five more men in the exact same predicament; their namepatches read "SCHELLHORN," "QUIGLEY," "GILBERT," "YERKES," and "HORVATH." As we continue to pan, though, we find a seventh man, whose namepatch confirms his identity as "HOBBES."

In a wider shot, we see that each of these seven men is connected to a computer which is then wired into a wall-sized terminal at which a man in a white lab coat is working. Next to the man in the lab coat is another metal chair containing another man. This man is dressed differently, though; he wears a black leather jacket and camouflaged pants. It is Pinocchio, also connected to the computer by a fiber-optic and visor.

Track in until the other man's face enters the frame. This man is staring intently at the computer monitor, occasionally typing commands into the keyboard. He wears black-rimmed glasses and a thick beard, and is quickly recognizable as JOHN FITZGERALD BYERS. His eyes flick back and forth from display to display as he monitors the eight men currently connected to the computer. After a moment, the percentage bar on the display labeled "UNIDENT PLAYER." begins to decrease until it finally reaches zero and beeps.

PINOCCHIO  
Damnit!

Pinocchio angrily tears the fiber-optic wire from his skin, pulling the visor off his face.

PINOCCHIO  
He's convinced he's in the Real World.

BYERS  
(removes glasses)  
Santiago specifically wanted an acceptance factor far  
beyond what common sense would allow. I guess it  
worked too well.

PINOCCHIO  
(as if to say "no shit")  
Yeah...  
(removes pulse-oximeter)  
Can you fix it?

BYERS  
It'd be virtually impossible to edit the source code  
while the program's running.

PINOCCHIO  
Virtually impossible?

BYERS  
Well I've never done anything like that; work through  
forty billion lines of running code.  
(Pinocchio scoffs)  
You ever try to fix the engine of a car you're driving?

Pinocchio's expression changes as he understands the analogy.

PINOCCHIO  
Can you shut it down and reprogram?

BYERS  
(shaking his head negatively)  
Santiago would know instantly.

Frustrated, Pinocchio untangles himself from the cords that once connected him to Santiago's simulation and gets up, storming out of the room.

CUT TO:  
EXT. NORTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA - HARSH REALM (DAY)  
A quiet forest road stretches off into the distance, occupied by a single vehicle. A grungy, growling, highly intimidating Suzuki 1200 Bandit tears down the dirt roadway with its only passenger; a man dressed in a black vest, black sunglasses, cargo pants, army boots and a long trenchcoat. The machine he's piloting kicks up a storm of dust in its wake, shrouding the road behind in a thick cloud of debris.

CLOSE SHOT on the man's vest, where we find a PAUSE DEVICE secured.

CRANE UP to the face of this man, NORRIS, as he attentively watches the road ahead.

EXT. RUINED LUMBER YARD  
Buried deep in the woods and covered by a canopy of trees, we find the remains of a large lumber yard. After a few moments, Norris on the motorcycle appears and quietly rolls in through the decimated gate, entering the yard cautiously.

INT. RUINED LUMBER YARD  
He continues through the yard slowly, scanning for signs of habitation. Eventually, he reaches one of the mills and stops the bike. He climbs off, dropping the kick-stand and heading carefully into the mill.

EXT. RUINED LUMBER YARD  
Outside the rusted chain-link fence, another vehicle slowly rolls up behind a thick growth of low bushes and vines that provides ample coverage. We quickly recognize Pinocchio's GTO as it pulls to a stop and the engines dies down.

INT. THE CAR  
From the backseat, we see a silhouette in the driver's seat. The figure quickly leans into the passenger's seat to look through the chicken-wired window into the lumber yard.

EXT. THE CAR  
Close up on the passenger's side window, we find Florence looking into the yard.

REVERSE to Florence's POV as she watches Norris cautiously enter the mill.

INT. THE MILL  
From inside the mill, we see Norris enter slowly, still wearing his sunglasses, as he quickly scans the interior.

TIGHT SHOT on his feet as he slowly steps into the mill. He exits frame, however, as we see a red dot appear on the ground. A LASER SIGHT. The sight glides across the dirt floor of the mill until it reaches Norris's feet again, slipping up his coat until it reaches the back of his head.

TIGHT SHOT on Norris's face as he suddenly hears a hard click. The sound of a HAMMER being pulled back. He freezes.

PAN slightly left to REVEAL a teenager named KRAGEN behind him, holding a Glock handgun to the base of the his skull.

KRAGEN  
Move, and you're a digitial blur.

NORRIS  
I'm here to see Kragen.

KRAGEN  
No such man.

NORRIS  
(sigh)  
Shame...

With that single syllable, the image drops into SLOW-MOTION as Norris spins around to his left with blinding speed and leans backward.

Two shots ring out simultaneously. The sniper covering Norris from above fires, but misses. The Teenager pulls his trigger, but Norris's spin threw his aim off, and he misses as well.

Norris drops his left hand to the floor beneath him, pulling a gun from his belt with his right hand. As he continues spinning, his right leg whips up in a vicious roundhouse kick to dislodge the weapon from the Teenager's hand.

Norris spins further until he is nearly facing the floor, an arms length above it. His right are whips underneath of his body, turned upward toward the sniper in the rafters. He pulls the trigger twice as his right leg comes around and slips underneath of him to the floor.

The Teenager turns and chases after his gun.

The sniper in the rafters is hit and topples over from his perch. He DIGITIZES in the air, leaving only his rifle to drop to the floor.

Back at NORMAL SPEED, Norris spins the rest of the way around, pivoting on his right foot and coming back to a standing position. He takes two long steps to put his gun in contact with the Teenager's neck, behind his right ear.

The Teenager, on his knee, only feet from his weapon, stops moving.

NORRIS  
Up.

The Teenager stands.

NORRIS  
I said I was looking for Kragen.

KRAGEN  
(no fear in his voice)  
You're pointing a gun at him.

Norris holds Kragen at gunpoint for a moment before pulling his gun back. The Teenager hears the pop of the hammer being released and turns around to see Norris holster his weapon. For the first time, he removes his sunglasses, revealing a jagged scar tracing from the bridge of his nose, across his forehead to nearly the opposite side of his left eye.

NORRIS  
Nice to meet you. Norris.

EXT. THE MILL  
In the lumber yard outside the mill, Florence silently approaches the building, her automatic rifle in tote. She quickly crosses the yard to the entrance of the mill, slowly making for the door.

INT. THE MILL  
From inside the mill, we see Florence turn into the door, then quickly spin back out, obviously not expecting to see Norris and Kragen. Fortunately, neither of the men saw her.

KRAGEN  
I've been expecting you.  
(sees rifle on the ground)  
You fried my best sniper.

NORRIS  
He shot at me.

KRAGEN  
(smirk)  
So did I.

Norris appraises the young man before him, trying to figure out if his brazen attitude stems from courage or stupidity. After a moment, he cracks a slight grin in return.

NORRIS  
I'm looking for a man.

KRAGEN  
Everyone is...

NORRIS  
A soldier.

Kragen gives a patronized expression that clearly says "that doesn't help."

NORRIS  
He served under Santiago in the Republican Guard  
before he lost the faith. He's a deserter. A danger  
to Santiago's rule.

Kragen rolls his eyes and turns his back on Norris, heading away. Suddenly, he hears the click of a HAMMER being pulled back into position. He stops dead in his tracks, not even needing to turn around to know that Norris is holding him at gunpoint again.

NORRIS  
I killed your sniper. And he was armed.

Kragen lets a sigh escape before speaking.

KRAGEN  
What's his name?

NORRIS  
John Cabot. He's traveling with a woman...

KRAGEN  
A healer.

EXT. THE MILL  
Florence perks when she hears the word.

KRAGEN (O.S.)  
The one that speaks. Who saved his life.

Florence looks away for a moment, surprised, thinking. Could the rumors be true?

INT. THE MILL  
Back in the mill, Norris turns defensive.

NORRIS  
I meant to kill him.

KRAGEN  
I don't doubt it. But the fact remains that you didn't.

NORRIS  
(threatening)  
I don't make the same mistake twice.

KRAGEN  
I can only tell you what I know. I've been told they  
passed through here last night on their way to Mar-  
tinsburg. What's left of it.

Kragen waits for a response, but none comes.

KRAGEN  
Norris?

He turns around to face an empty room.

EXT. RUINED LUMBER YARD  
A huge dust cloud marks the departure of Norris. After a moment, the GTO rolls out into the roadway, following slowly behind the fleeing bounty-hunter.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN ON...  
INT. THE HOBBES RESIDENCE, BEDROOM (NIGHT)  
Tom Hobbes lies in bed, sleeping, as Sophie lightly dabs at his forehead with a damp towel. Suddenly, Hobbes wakes up in a panicked start.

HOBBES  
Sophie??

SOPHIE  
I'm here hun. I'm here.

HOBBES  
(rambling)  
...thought I was...thought I was in Harsh Realm...

SOPHIE  
Shh...Tom, you're alright. You're right here in Fort  
Dix, New Jersey, and I'm not letting anyone change  
that.

Hobbes swallows hard as he lays his head back down on the pillow.

HOBBES  
(more to himself)  
Thank God...  
(to Sophie)  
...I have the worst memories. A string of harrowing  
nightmares, only more intense. Flashbacks...

FLASHBACK:  
INT. SOLDIER'S RESIDENCE, HALLWAY - HARSH REALM  
In SLOW MOTION, Hobbes, Pinocchio, Florence and Sophie run down a long hallway. Behind them, Mel Waters levels off his weapon and pulls the trigger.

Sophie drops to her knees and begins to DIGITIZE as Hobbes watches in helpless horror.

BACK TO SCENE:  
Hobbes lays in bed, his eyes closed. After a moment, he opens them, turning to look at his fiancé.

HOBBES  
They took you from me.

Sophie lays down next to Hobbes, her head on his shoulder.

SOPHIE  
No one's taking me away from you.

HOBBES  
(holds Sophie)  
It was so real...

FLASHBACK:  
INT. CAVES - HARSH REALM UNDERWORLD  
Sophie is on the ground with Hobbes by her side. Pinocchio and Gretchen Molry accompany them.

SOPHIE  
Get away from me!

BACK TO SCENE:  
Hobbes holds Sophie in his arms.

HOBBES  
You didn't even know me there.

SOPHIE  
What place was this?

HOBBES  
Harsh Realm...the most perverse imitation of reality.  
Nine ungodly months in that foxhole of a world...

Hobbes trails off, realizing something.

PINOCCHIO (V.O.)  
...it's not real, Hobbes...

Hobbes turns to Sophie, covering his urgency from her and sounding non-chalant.

HOBBES  
When did you find out we were pregnant?

SOPHIE  
A week ago. I wanted to wait until our marriage  
license came to tell you.

Sophie nestles into Hobbes' arms, not noticing that Hobbes is staring off out the window, a realization gnawing at his mind.

INT. SUBWAY SERVICE TUNNEL, BELOW GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
Pinocchio lays on a cot in a cramped room adjacent to the service tunnel, eating a pear and staring at the ceiling. He takes another bite, looking at the remainder of pear inquisitively, as if it might give him some insight into the situation at hand.

After a few moments of staring at the pear, he suddenly throws his right fist against the wall next to him without looking. He takes another bite of the pear, bringing his fist in front of his face to examine it.

TIGHT SHOT on Pinocchio's fist, where we find the crushed remains of a daddy-long-leg spider. Pinocchio looks at the smashed bug.

PINOCCHIO  
(Robert de Niro impression)  
You talking to me?

Back in wide shot, Pinocchio looks at the dead insect for a moment before it suddenly DIGITIZES.

Pinocchio sighs heavily. He takes another bite of the pear when there is an urgent knock on the door. In a flash, the mostly-eaten pear is on the ground and his gun is drawn. He slowly inches toward the door, twisting the handle and pulling it open to reveal Byers. Pinocchio holsters his weapon, turning back to the pear.

PINOCCHIO  
You made me waste my dinner.

BYERS  
(urgent)  
Come with me.

Pinocchio hears the urgency in Byers words and follows him without question.

INT. ELEVATOR to GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
Pinocchio and Byers stand side-by-side, watching the display tell them which floor they're at.

PINOCCHIO  
How far down are we?

BYERS  
Forty-two feet. Nearly five floors.

PINOCCHIO  
Isn't there anywhere else I can stay? I've had bad  
experiences with tunnels.

BYERS  
Sorry.

INT. HALLWAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
From the right side of the frame, Byers pops his head out into the hallway, checking both ways to make sure it's clear. He turns back and gestures with his head for Pinocchio to follow as he enters the hallway and hurries down it. Pinocchio follows close behind, bundled in a Republican Guard standard issue coat.

The pair hurries around a corner and reaches a door. Byers stops in front of the door, leaning down to let the retinal scanner read his eye. The words "RET SCAN PASS" appear on the display screen, then disappear, replaced by the words "VOICE CONFIRMATION."

BYERS  
John F. Byers.

A tense moment passes before the door beeps and Byers pushes the handle open, gesturing Pinocchio through and quickly following after him.

INT. SANTIAGO'S PLAYERS BAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
Inside the room, Pinocchio rips the Republican Guard coat off, throwing it to the floor.

PINOCCHIO  
Hate those things...

Byers isn't paying attention. He's already seated in front of the terminal, punching keys at lightening speed. Pinocchio notices and crosses to the terminal to see what Byers is doing.

PINOCCHIO  
Whatayou have?

BYERS  
On the outside...  
(looks back to Pinocchio)  
...the Out-Outside...  
(back to the monitor)  
...we had to test the simulation by sending our own  
programmers into the game space. When we start-  
ed, we'd create relatively simple activities; fixing a  
car, hunting a deer, you know what I mean.  
(Pinocchio nods)  
We had to make sure the game was an exact replica  
of reality. But in case of a system failure, we wrote in  
a kill switch usually a word or phrase that would  
automatically end the game and release the players.

PINOCCHIO  
What are you saying?

BYERS  
(turns back to Pinocchio)  
I may have found a way to get him out.

Byers and Pinocchio look at Hobbes, still prisoner to Santiago's simulation.

COMMERCIAL III


	4. Act III

ACT THREE

ACT THREE  
INT. SANTIAGO'S PLAYERS BAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE - HARSH REALM  
Seated in the seat directly next to the computer terminal, Pinocchio has once again donned the thick black visor that will insert him into the game. A moment later, Byers attaches the fiber-optic wire to his left temple.

Byers returns to the computer terminal, punching keys. A player profile opens on the screen, labeled "UNIDENT."

BYERS  
Ready?

PINOCCHIO  
(breath)  
Plug me in.

Byers hits the ENTER key, to which the bar in the UNIDENT window starts to climb, quickly reaching 100.

DIGITAL WIPE TO:  
INT. ST. JEROME'S CHURCH, FORT DIX - SANTIAGO'S SIMULATION  
Most of the community is convened for Sunday mass. In the midst of the congregation are Tom Hobbes and Sophie Green.

PRIEST  
Please rise for the Lord's Prayer...

The congregations stands.

CONGREGATION  
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy  
name. Thy kingdom come...

As we PAN through the congregation, we come to Sophie and Hobbes. Sophie is reciting along with the rest of the church-goers, but Hobbes seems preoccupied.

CONGREGATION (Cont'd)  
...thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...

INT. ST. JEROME'S CHURCH, LOBBY  
Outside the main church hall is a small lobby with a table containing Candles of Intention, about half of which are lit.

In SLOW-MOTION, a match is struck.

The flame flickers for a second, then steadies.

The match moves slowly toward a candle.

The flame comes in contact with the wick, lighting it after an extended moment.

The match is quickly blown out.

CUT TO:  
INT. ST. JEROME'S CHURCH, LOBBY  
The congregation files out of the main church hall as mass has ended. The priest is in the lobby, talking to several parishioners.

After a few moments, Hobbes and Sophie exit the main hall and head out of the building. They are met at the door by Mike Pinocchio, dressed in a black suit with a tan shirt.

HOBBES  
Mike...

PINOCCHIO  
Tom. I want to apologize.

HOBBES  
(knowing look)  
No need. Everything's alright.

SOPHIE  
(to Pinocchio)  
I should apologize as well. For the way I acted.  
It wasn't your fault.

PINOCCHIO  
Don't worry, ma'am. You were only protecting  
the one you love.

Sophie smiles, agreeing with Pinocchio. Hobbes, though, has a pained look that only Pinocchio can see.

CUT TO:  
EXT. MEMORIAL PARK  
Across the street from the Hobbes residence, Pinocchio and Hobbes sit on a bench, watching as several children climb on the large jungle gym.

TIGHT SHOT on the children in SLOW-MOTION, as they laugh and play.

Back at NORMAL SPEED, Hobbes looks around the park. Eventually, his gaze is drawn to his own house, where he sees Sophie in the front yard, tending to the garden that wraps around the front of the house.

HOBBES  
How can this be happening?

Pinocchio doesn't answer. Doesn't know how.

HOBBES  
After all that time, all those months, I finally get  
back to her...  
(looks at Pinocchio)  
...and now you want to tell me that it isn't real?

PINOCCHIO  
Trust me, Hobbes, I don't want to tell you...

Pinocchio glances at his wristwatch; the time reads 11:37 a.m.

PINOCCHIO  
...but I can prove it to you.

HOBBES  
How?

PINOCCHIO  
(looks up from his watch)  
At exactly 11:38, a 6-foot-tall bearded man driv-  
ing a maroon Chrysler New Yorker is going to  
knick the backend of baby blue Ford Taurus,  
driven by a pregnant woman with black hair.

Hobbes just looks at Pinocchio, not knowing what to think.

Pinocchio glances at his watch again; 20 seconds to impact. He looks up, past Hobbes, down the street. After a moment, he nods for Hobbes to look as well. Hobbes turns around to see a maroon Chrysler New Yorker driving down the street toward them.

Hobbes turns back around to face Pinocchio, but his expression changes instantly to disbelief. Pinocchio turns around to see what Hobbes is looking at, finding a baby blue Ford Taurus headed down the street toward them as well.

Hobbes looks back to see the Chrysler New Yorker bearing down as he hears Pinocchio's voice.

PINOCCHIO  
Seven...six...five...four...

Hobbes turns back to the Ford Taurus as Pinocchio finishes the countdown.

PINOCCHIO (Cont'd)  
...three...two...one...

At that instant, the two cars cross paths in SLOW-MOTION in front of Hobbes and Pinocchio.

The vehicle pass within inches. The New Yorker sweeps by the Taurus, catching the rear fender.

A shower of sparks sprays across the roadway.

The two cars slam on their breaks.

A tall man exits the New Yorker, jogging to the driver's side of the Taurus with a worried look.

Back at NORMAL SPEED, the man glances around nervously, giving Hobbes the chance to notice the thick beard he sports. The man reaches the other car and helps the driver out.

Hobbes is stunned as a woman, at least six-months pregnant, exit the vehicle in SLOW-MOTION. Her long black hair drapes around her shaken face.

Back at NORMAL SPEED, Hobbes turns to Pinocchio with a stunned expression, not knowing what to say.

PINOCCHIO  
Welcome to the Harshest Realm.

CUT TO:  
INT. DAY'S EASE DINER (AFTERNOON)  
Pinocchio and Hobbes are seated at a window-side booth.

PINOCCHIO  
What do you remember?

HOBBES  
I remember stopping at the farmhouse to get gas...  
finding a tank in the barn...leaving straight from there  
for Santiago City, storming the Government House  
and taking out Santiago. You, me and Florence.  
Florence killed Waters, Inga Fossa killed Florence  
and you killed Inga.

Pinocchio sighs, trying to figure out how to explain what really happened.

PINOCCHIO  
Hobbes...you were paused...

Pinocchio cuts himself off as a waitress approaches the table with two coffees.

PINOCCHIO  
Thank you.

The waitress nods and leaves, allowing Pinocchio to continue.

PINOCCHIO  
Pausing erases the last few minutes of memory; that's  
why you don't remember it happening. It's designed  
that way.

HOBBES  
Then why am I still alive?

PINOCCHIO  
Someone got rich off you. A bounty hunter collect-  
ed the price on your head. Turned your paused ass  
over to Santiago. You're only alive because he need-  
ed a lab rat to test out his new project. A simulation  
within the simulation, that he could plug captured  
soldiers into to convince them they'd been returned  
home. Just like you did.

Hobbes nods slowly, beginning to understand.

PINOCCHIO  
This simulation is running off the original source code,  
before the game objective was programmed in.

HOBBES  
Then how do I get out?

PINOCCHIO  
I don't know that yet. We're working on it from the  
outside, but without a program objective...

Pinocchio trails off, letting his silence finishes his sentence.

HOBBES  
Can't you just pull the plug?

PINOCCHIO  
(shaking his head negatively)  
No more than they can pull Harsh Realm's plug  
in the Real World. The trauma would perma-  
nently separate your mind from your body, trap-  
ping your consciousness here. You'd be rend-  
ered vegetative in Harsh Realm, not to mention  
what would happen to you in the Real World.

Hobbes remains silent for a long moment, assimilating all this new information.

HOBBES  
I don't know which is worse. Harsh Realm, or  
this place.  
(looks around)  
This is so REAL, but now you're telling me it's not.  
The most sickening perversion of reality is the one  
you believe is real. I have Sophie back. I almost  
don't want to leave...

Suddenly, Hobbes is stricken with a horrifying revelation.

HOBBES  
...Sophie...  
(extended beat)  
She's not real?

PINOCCHIO  
She's less than not real. She's a virtually created  
virtual character.

Hobbes is torn. He has the chance to be with Sophie, albeit a virtual recreation of her, here. But he knows his heart truly belongs to the real Sophie, in another world.

After a long moment of deliberation, Hobbes has made his decision.

HOBBES  
How do I get out?

PINOCCHIO  
There was an automated kill switch built into the ori-  
ginal program in case something went wrong. San-  
tiago had it deleted from the outside when he took  
over Harsh Realm, but this version might still contain  
it. I know Santiago's top programmer, John Byers,  
from before I went on the run. I worked with him.

HOBBES  
How confident are you that he can do it?

PINOCCHIO  
If it's there, he'll find it. If it's not...  
(sees Hobbes' distress)  
...he'll make one.

DIGITAL WIPE TO:  
EXT. JUST OUTSIDE MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA (DAY) - HARSH REALM  
An open rural road plays host to a single pick-up truck, heading toward a town visible off in the distance.

INT. THE TRUCK  
Inside the truck are two passengers. The driver is readily recognizable as John Cabot. The passenger, however, is a young girl, no more than 16, who we've never met.

CABOT  
What'd you say your name was?

DOROTHY  
Dorothy.

CABOT  
(to himself)  
Dorothy...

DOROTHY  
I'm sorry about what happened.

Cabot looks at her, not speaking.

FLASHBACK:  
EXT. PITTSBURGH ENCAMPMENT (DAY)  
The street is clogged with the customary ragged inhabitants that occupy most all of the encampments outside the fence. Among them, though, we see John Cabot, browsing from tent to tent, looking at the many things being sold. Cabot doesn't notice her, but the attentive viewer might notice Dorothy in the background, watching him.

He stops at one tent to look at crates filled with canned goods, most of which are without labels.

CABOT  
Any idea what's in em?

MERCHANT  
None.

Cabot shakes his head, starting to reach into his pocket when he hears his named bellowed from far away.

NORRIS  
CABOT!!

Cabot drops the can, instinctively ducking down to grab the pistol from his ankle. He dives behind a display that affords him some cover as the first shots of this shootout are fired.

Cabot reaches above the display and squeezes off a few rounds before ducking back.

CABOT  
Whatayou want??

NORRIS  
Just the price on your head!

Norris fires again.

CABOT  
You'd have an easier time killing me!

NORRIS  
That's fine too!

Norris fires another round, then ducks back. As soon as Cabot hears the silence from Norris' end, he leans out to fire a few rounds of his own, not realizing that Norris is ready to shoot.

Cabot realizes the setup too late, getting the chance to fire only one round before Norris has fired a bullet into his chest.

In SLOW-MOTION, the bullet from Cabot's gun grazes Norris across the forehead, opening a bloody wound from the bridge of his nose to the opposite side of his left eye.

Behind the display, Cabot topples over backward, holding his chest where the bullet penetrated.

Cabot is sprawled out on the ground, ready to die, when a young woman approaches.

In Cabot's POV, we see the face of a girl no older than 16. It is Dorothy.

In a wider shot, Dorothy silently pulls CABOT to safety in an alleyway

EXT. ALLEYWAY  
Back at NORMAL SPEED, Dorothy rips open the bloodsoaked section of Cabot's shirt. Cabot looks at her in a moment of confusion before realizing who and what she is. She places her hands over the wound for a moment, until the blood dries out and the bullethole closes up and heals unnoticeably.

BACK TO SCENE:  
Cabot still looks at Dorothy, but we can see in his eyes that he holds no malice toward her for what she's apologizing for.

CABOT  
Don't be. You're not responsible for his actions

DOROTHY  
He'll be coming after us, you know.

CABOT  
I know...  
(wanting to change the subject)  
...so...how is it you can speak? None of the others  
can...

DOROTHY  
My mother was one of the sisters, but my father  
was from the Real World.

CABOT  
You know about that place?

DOROTHY  
Vaguely. I know enough to know I can't go there.

Cabot is silent in apology.

CABOT  
So you're the one they talk about. You can heal  
and speak.

DOROTHY  
Some would say.  
(beat)  
My father was one of the first soldiers sent in after  
General Santiago. He nearly defeated him.

CABOT  
Wolf? You're Lieutenant Wolf's little girl?

Dorothy nods affirmatively.

CABOT  
Your father was a good man. A great soldier.  
We might still have a chance if he was around.

Dorothy looks at Cabot for a moment, deciding whether or not to say what she wants to say. Finally, she makes up her mind, looking back out the front windshield.

DOROTHY  
He is.

Cabot only glances at Dorothy again as the truck passes a sign reading "MARTINSBURG, NEXT RIGHT."

CUT TO:  
INT. SANTIAGO'S PLAYERS BAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
On the computer terminal, the bar in the window labeled "UNIDENT." drops quickly from 100 until it reaches zero and beeps. Pinocchio pulls the fiber-optic off and removes the visor.

PINOCCHIO  
He understands.

BYERS  
Okay. Half the battle's won.

PINOCCHIO  
How long before you can pull him out?

BYERS  
At 30-thousand pages of code per second, it's  
still going to take about seven hours to find it, if  
it's even there.

PINOCCHIO  
And if it's not?

BYERS  
Then I have to program a jump port and cover it  
up with something that looks like it killed him.

PINOCCHIO  
You have to kill him to get him out?

BYERS  
In Santiago's game...yes. It's the only way to do  
it without being obvious.

PINOCCHIO  
Can you just skip the search and enter it...

BYERS  
I can't risk that. If there already is one, the com-  
puter would read a redundancy error and go to  
default shutdown. It'd be like pulling the plug on  
him.

Pinocchio nods begrudgedly, looking to a countdown clock that Byers has set up. The time is dropping steadily from 6:54.

FADE TO BLACK.

COMMERCIAL IV


	5. Act IV

ACT THREE

ACT FOUR  
INT. PATHMARK SUPERMARKET, FORT DIX (DAY) - SANTIAGO'S SIMULATION  
In SLOW-MOTION, Sophie is pushing a shopping cart obliviously as Hobbes looks around, only barely hiding his growing paranoia.

HOBBES (V.O.)  
All too often, we take for granted for the world  
which we inhabit. So blindly we accept what we  
are given, never assuming for a moment that what  
we call Real is nothing but an electronic blip.  
The things we see, the sounds we hear...

Sophie turns around, glancing back at Hobbes. Smiles. She turns back around.

Hobbes casts his eyes down, closing them, pained.

HOBBES (V.O.)  
The people we think we know. The life we try to  
exert so much carefully calculated control over,  
but which we eventually come to learn has always  
been controlling us.

As Sophie and Hobbes continue down the aisle, they pass another woman pushing a cart.

Hobbes glances not at the woman, but at the girl sitting in the cart.

A young girl of seven, with blonde hair and blue eyes. For an instant, Hobbes recognizes her, but as quickly as he senses it, it's gone again.

The woman and her daughter pass as Sophie stops to look at the merchandise on display. Hobbes, though, is disconcerted, and looks back.

The girl in the cart looks at him. Into his eyes. She recognizes him as well.

A childish smiles takes her face, and she waves.

Back to Hobbes, who looks at her, remembering.

DIGITAL WIPE TO:  
EXT. MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA (EVENING) - HARSH REALM  
A street cluttered with gutted cars and battle debris.

Parked along the curb, we find Cabot's pick-up in front of a building bearing a sign that once read "CAPITOL MOTEL." Most of the letters have been burned away.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL HALLWAY  
Cabot walks down the hallway carefully, caring a brown paper bag. He stops quickly for a moment, looking behind himself before continuing to the first room on the right.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL ROOM  
Cabot enters the room to find Dorothy routing through her duffel bag. Dorothy reacts instantly, grabbing the handgun off the bed and pointing the barrel at Cabot before realizing who he is. She quickly drops the weapon, sighing out as much tension as she can without becoming comfortable.

Cabot crosses the room to her, putting the bag down on the bed and reaching into it. He withdraws his hands with chunks of bread in his grasp. Dorothy looks up at him in shock.

CABOT  
I found this in the kitchen. Most of it was mold-  
ridden, but I cut away the garbage to find some  
edible remains.

Dorothy hungrily digs into the bag, producing a fair-sized chunk and biting into it greedily.

CABOT  
You'll be okay on your own?

Dorothy shakes her head affirmatively.

CABOT  
There was a bolted door in the kitchen. I'm gonna  
find out what's behind it.

Cabot heads out of the room as Dorothy dives into the bread in her hand.

EXT. ROUTE 37, OUTSIDE MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA  
The road lays abandoned for a moment before the peaceful scene is shattered by Norris tearing down the roadway on his motorcycle, passing by the sign reading "MARTINSBURG, NEXT RIGHT."

We pan back down the road, in the opposite direction that Norris was traveling, to see the GTO a way off in the distance, only now visible as it turns the corner from behind a section of forest.

INT. SANTIAGO'S PLAYERS BAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
Byers still sits at the terminal, this time with a telephone to his ear.

BYERS  
No...no, I can't. I can't get you back in.  
(beat)  
But I can get him out.  
(beat)  
Yes. I still have to upload the program code, but  
in a matter of minutes, he should be out.  
(beat)  
Yes, I'll bring him down myself.  
(beat)  
Alright.

Byers turns back to the screen, his eyes flitting from the monitor to the door and back again. He purses his lips, squeezing his eyes shut for a second as if not seeing what he's about to do will exonerate him from its consequences, and before giving himself a chance to reconsider, strikes the ENTER key.

On the screen, a small dialogue box pops opens with the title "UPLOAD IN PROGRESS." Byers watches as the percentage bar slowly creeps toward 100 until finally the entire bar is red and the computer beeps softly.

A barely audible sigh escapes Byers as the words "UPLOAD COMPLETE" flash across the screen.

DIGITAL WIPE TO:  
EXT. PATHMARK SUPERMARKET, FORT DIX (DAY) - SANTIAGO'S SIMULATION  
From outside the building, we see the glass doors slide open in SLOW-MOTION as Sophie and Hobbes emerge from the supermarket. Hobbes squints in the sunlight, looking around the parking lot.

EXT. PATHMARK PARKING LOT  
Back at NORMAL SPEED, as Sophie and Hobbes reach their red pick-up and Hobbes lifts the first bag out of the cart. Sophie takes the second bag and they climb into the cab, settling the bags in the small area behind the seats.

EXT. SUBURBAN ROAD, FORT DIX  
The red pick-up rolls down the street until it reaches a red light and slows to a stop.

INT. THE TRUCK  
Sophie is holding Hobbes' right hand while he drives with his left. But she notices that her fiancé is upset about something.

SOPHIE  
Tom, what is it?

Hobbes is silent for a long moment, deciding whether or not he can even answer that question.

HOBBES  
(extended beat)  
There's no way for you to understand.

SOPHIE  
Try me.

HOBBES  
I can't...

Hobbes' gaze wanders slightly and he catches a glance at the windshield-mounted rear-view mirror. In it, he sees the face of Mike Pinocchio.

Surprised, he snaps his head around to look behind him. In the flatbed of the truck, he finds nothing. No Pinocchio.

SOPHIE  
(upset)  
Tom, what's wrong??

Hobbes looks back in the mirror, and just as before, Pinocchio is clearly visible. As Hobbes continues to look, though, the image of Pinocchio flickers ever so slightly. Hobbes suddenly realizing that it is not his friend, but only a projection of him.

PINOCCHIO  
She can't see me or hear me, Hobbes.

HOBBES  
(to Sophie)  
Nothing, hun...I just...thought I saw a kid run into  
the street.

Sophie looks back out the back of the truck, seeing nothing.

Hobbes looks in the mirror again, still seeing Pinocchio.

DIGITAL WIPE TO:  
EXT. MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA (EVENING) - HARSH REALM  
The abandoned street again, where only Cabot's pick-up claims residence. After a few moments, we see a moving object in the distance, which we recognize as Norris on his motorcycle, slowly rolling down the street.

Norris sees Cabot's pick-up truck parked in front of the Capitol Motel and pulls to the curb, climbing off the bike.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL BASEMENT  
Amidst dozens of crates, some of which are open, Cabot pries open the box in front of him. Inside, he finds assorted handguns. He picks up one, a Beretta 92FS, and drops the clip. It's full. A wide smile spreads across his face.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL BASEMENT STEPS  
Cabot quickly ascends the staircase back to the first floor.

CABOT  
Dorothy! Dorothy, you'll never believe this...

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL KITCHEN  
Cabot sprints through the door that he formerly referred to as locked and dashes through the kitchen back to the room that Dorothy is in.

CABOT  
You'll never believe what I found...

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL LOBBY  
As Cabot exits the kitchen, he spots a figure in the doorway. Instinctively, he skids to a stop, arching his back to lean his head back.

Gunfire thunders. A single round.

In BULLETTIME SLOW-MOTION, the bullet rips through the air toward Cabot.

Tearing through space toward its destination, the bullet sailing perpendicular to Cabot's face, only inches from his eyes. Had Cabot not leaned back precisely when he did, his head would have been right in the path of the bullet.

The single round of ammunition rockets past his eyes.

Back at NORMAL SPEED, Cabot falls back behind the counter, pulling his own gun as he props himself back against the counter.

CABOT  
DOROTHY!

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL ROOM  
Hearing Cabot, Dorothy is up, a handgun in each fist, darting toward the door.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL LOBBY  
Norris steps into the lobby toward Cabot.

NORRIS  
I told you I wanted the price on your head. You  
should know, you're far to valuable to let you get  
away...

Before he can take another step, though, he is under attack. He is forced to dive for cover as bullets chip the floor around his feet.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL HALLWAY  
Dorothy leans out the door of her room into the hallway, squeezing off a stream of rounds. She stops for a moment, looking across the hallway. In a flash, she is up and running again, this time across the hallway to the opposite side where she shoulder slams a door, jarring it open. She ducks into the room, finding a better vantage point from which to cover Cabot.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL LOBBY  
Cabot kneels out from behind his cover to fire a few rounds.

CABOT  
You killed my family!!

NORRIS  
Casualties of war, Cabot. Every battle has them.

CABOT  
My daughter was only five!!

Cabot leans out and takes another shot.

The wooden panel only inches from Norris' face shatters off into a hundred splintered shards.

Norris turns his head to look at the bullethole. He looks at it for a moment before moving quickly, heading from his cover across the lobby.

In SLOW-MOTION, Norris makes a dash across the lobby, stepping right into Dorothy's line of sight. Dorothy opens fire, chipping the floor and wall behind Norris, shattering furniture and windows, but not making contact.

Norris dives forward into a shoulder roll, spinning around on his back to come up with it to the far wall.

Back at NORMAL SPEED, Norris takes a shot at Dorothy, forcing her back into the room as the bullet tears the trim off the door. He then takes a shot at Cabot, forcing him to the floor to avoid being killed.

CABOT  
Who the hell are you??

NORRIS  
James T. Norris. 396-01733-42.

DOROTHY  
Who do you work for?

NORRIS  
Central Intelligence wetworks. Black bag oper-  
ations.

CABOT  
You're an assassin...

DOROTHY  
Who's your target...

NORRIS  
(smirk)  
James T. Norris. 396-0173...

Norris is cut off midword, though, as a bullet slams his right shoulder in SLOW-MOTION.

At NORMAL SPEED, Norris turns toward the door where he finds Florence, M16 in hand, finger squeezing the trigger. In a flash, Norris whips his gun toward the front door, unleashing a clip at his new attacker.

EXT. FRONT OF THE CAPITOL MOTEL  
From outside the building in SLOW-MOTION, Florence is suddenly under attack. The flurry of bullets blast everything around her until suddenly she is slammed back onto the pavement by a shot that strikes her in the chest. Blood seeps from the wound, but she musters the energy to drag herself away.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL LOBBY  
Norris is hurt and in pain, but it's a wound he'll survive. It will hamper his fighting at the moment, though, and escape is the best option.

He passes the gun off to his left hand, his weaker shot, and aims toward the hallway. He squeezes the trigger again and again, spraying bullets in the general direction of the hall and the counter to keep Cabot and Dorothy at bay while he attempts his escape.

On his feet and covering his escape, Norris makes a mad dash for the door.

EXT. FRONT OF THE CAPITOL MOTEL  
Norris exits the building through the shattered doors, still covering himself with a shower of bullets. He quickly scans the street for Florence. She's no where to be found.

Frustrated, he holsters his weapon and jumps on his motorcycle, forcing the kickstart and peeling away down the street.

INT. CAPITOL MOTEL LOBBY  
No longer under attack, Cabot leans cautiously out of his cover position to survey the damage. He looks back down the hallway to see Dorothy poke her head out of the room as well. Cabot slowly stands, gun still drawn, heading out of the building.

EXT. FRONT OF THE CAPITOL MOTEL  
Cabot exits the building carefully, eyes flitting quickly around the street in search of his enemy. He slowly makes his way to his pick-up truck, where he is surprised to find Florence, laying in the flat-bed, bleeding from a gaping chest wound.

CABOT  
Dorothy!!

Dorothy quickly emerges from the motel, running to the truck. As soon as she reaches the vehicle, she sees why Cabot called her.

CABOT  
Can you save her??

Dorothy doesn't answer before climbing quickly into the flat-bed with Florence.

Florence looks up at Dorothy. Eyes lock. No words are exchanged because they are unnecessary.

Dorothy places her hands over Florence's wound. She shuts her eyes, concentrating hard.

A light blue glow emanates from the wound as the torn flesh digitizes, slowly healing over itself to repair the wound.

The glow dies away and Dorothy slumps over. Cabot quickly catches her, his eyes catching Florence. Her wound is gone, leaving only her bullet-torn vest. Florence sits up in the flat-bed, placing her hand on Dorothy's face. After a moment, she breathes a slight sigh of relief, shaking her head "yes" to say that Dorothy will be okay.

DIGITAL WIPE TO:  
EXT. SUBURBAN ROAD, FORT DIX (DAY) - SANTIAGO'S SIMULATION  
Hobbes' red pick-up truck still sits at the red-light, which now turns green. The truck rolls forward.

INT. THE TRUCK  
Hobbes looks over at Sophie, who is completely oblivious to the image of Pinocchio in the rear-view mirror.

PINOCCHIO  
Hobbes, we can get you out. But you have to do  
exactly what I say. I'm a programmed help guide,  
to give you instructions. I can't answer questions.  
(beat)  
Four blocks up, make a right. Two blocks from  
there is an accident. That's your jump port. You  
have to drive head-on into it.

Hobbes' eyes flick to the rear-view mirror.

PINOCCHIO  
Trust me, Hobbes. It's your only way out.

The image in the mirror suddenly flickers once, then PIXELLATES.

Hobbes looks at the mirror once more, now seeing only the road stretching out behind him.

As he continues down the road, he realizes that his hand is still in Sophie's. He squeezes her hand softly, looking at her with an apologetic smile.

SOPHIE  
Tom, are you going to tell me what's bothering you?

HOBBES  
(eyes growing misty)  
No...you don't need that now...the only thing that I  
am going to tell you is that I love you so dearly...

Hobbes tries to force out more words, but they won't come out.

The truck approaches a light, turning right.

Up ahead, Sophie spots the accident; a six car pile-up caused by an overturned oil tanker.

SOPHIE  
My God...

Hobbes looks at Sophie once more, tears ready to pour, before looking out the windshield and punching the gas, bearing down on the accident.

SOPHIE  
Tom, what are you doing??

HOBBES  
Know always; this was for us.

Hobbes snaps the steering into cruise control mode and buries his knee into the wheel to keep the vehicle on course.

HOBBES  
I'm sorry...

Hobbes takes Sophie's face in his hands quickly and kisses her hard, keeping his lips locked to hers as they tear down the street into the intersection.

Suddenly, fire rips through the cab and the screen PIXELLATES.

FLASH TO WHITE.

FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN ON...  
INT. SANTIAGO'S PLAYERS BAY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE - HARSH REALM  
Byers' eyes are locked on the computer terminal, as the window labeled "T. HOBB" suddenly goes green and the bar begins to drop from 100 to zero. When it does, the computer beeps and Byers is up in a flash.

He rushes to Hobbes, removing the fiber-optic from his left temple and sliding the visor off his face. Hobbes' head flops over and Byers quickly brings it back up. Byers produces a small syringe filled with a blue liquid. He flicks it once and plunges it into the side of Hobbes' neck, injecting the serum.

Having administered the serum, Byers pats Hobbes' face, trying to revive him. Hobbes does not respond.

Byers tries again, but with the same results. Panic suddenly flashes across Byers' face as he considers that his jump port might not have worked.

Suddenly, Hobbes coughs, hard. Byers' face is taken with relief as he takes Hobbes by the shoulders, helping him sit up straight. Hobbes' eyes slide open heavily. He blinks blearily, but he is alive and conscious, and that combination is enough to satisfy Byers.

BYERS  
...alright...you're okay...we have to move...

Byers helps Hobbes stand and starts out of the room with him.

INT. SUBWAY SERVICE TUNNEL, BELOW GOVERNMENT HOUSE  
Pinocchio stands at the junction of the service tunnel and a passage-tunnel that leads to the subway. After a moment, the elevator doors slide open and Byers and Hobbes emerge.

Byers hands Pinocchio a pair of ID chips, one of which he passes off to Hobbes. They both put the chips in the right chest pocket of their coats.

BYERS  
Down this tunnel, you'll come out on the subway  
platform. Take it all the way to the end of the line.  
You'll be near the city perimeter.

Pinocchio starts down the tunnel, but Hobbes stops, shaking Byers hand.

HOBBES  
Thank you.

Byers nods, then gestures for Hobbes to follow Pinocchio.

EXT. SANTIAGO CITY, PERIMETER FENCE (NIGHT)  
Trudging across the field is the tired pair of Hobbes and Pinocchio, no longer wearing the Republican Guard coats. Up ahead, Pinocchio sees the fence approaching.

Through the fence, Hobbes sees the grungy GTO roll up and skid to a stop. Following behind it is the pick-up, piloted by Cabot and carrying Dorothy.

CLOSE UP on Florence through the windshield of the GTO as she watches Pinocchio and Hobbes.

Inside the fence, Pinocchio comes within feet and stops walking, leaning down to pick up a stone. He looks to Hobbes, then back to the fence.

Pinocchio tosses the stone into the fence. The sailing rock reaches the fence, but instead of bursting into a dozen flaming fragments, it pulls space with it until it snaps through the glitch and emerges on the other side.

Pinocchio looks back to Hobbes.

PINOCCHIO  
Freedom.

Pinocchio starts forward again, stepping through the fence and emerging on the other side. He looks back to Hobbes, who hesistates just a split second before following suit. His words are heard as we watch him and Pinocchio pile into the GTO, Pinocchio taking the wheel.

HOBBES (vo)  
In all the worlds, through all the wars, by all the  
wandering souls lost in this perverse imitation of  
reality, only one thing remains the same. A love  
beyond all definition that will never perish, never  
flicker out and die. My trials prove me right; for  
if not for you in my heart, I would have been lost  
long ago.  
(beat)  
A man could quickly lose his mind in a place like  
this, where everything is a mirrored reflection of  
something else, and nothing is what it tries to ap-  
pear to be.  
(beat)  
You've been taken from me so many times now,  
my dearest darling, and every time, my conviction  
to return to you grows ever stronger. You are my  
touchstone, my beacon in a world of shadows, my  
truth behind a patchwork of lies. I will come back  
to you, dearest Sophie. I will defeat Santiago. I  
WILL conquer Harsh Realm.

The GTO pulls away from the fence, followed by the pick-up.

FADE TO BLACK.

THE END


End file.
